Oscar Oakleaf, whose record furnishes an excellent illustration of the power of industry and perseverance in the attainment of success, came to America in early manhood and has worked his way steadily upward to a position of influence and affluence in his community, being now the president of the Madrid State Bank, one of the solid financial institutions of Iowa. His birth occurred in Sweden in 1858, his parents being J P and Annie (Peterson) Oakleaf, who spent their entire lives in that country. Their children were nine in number, as follows: three who died in infancy, Oscar of this review, Carl still residing in Sweden, Gust who makes his home in Minnesota, Mrs Emma Swanson of Madrid, Mrs Hannah Peterson also living in Madrid and Mrs Martha Hallblad, who resides in Minnesota. All were born in Sweden.
Oscar Oakleaf spent the first twenty-one years of his life in the land of his nativity and in 1879 crossed the Atlantic to the United States, locating at Marshalltown, Marshall county, Iowa, where he secured employment as a farm laborer. In 1881 he came to what is now Madrid and entered the service of William Johnson as a clerk, remaining in his employ for nine years and nine months. On the expiration of that period, in 1891, he secured a position with the A T Davis Milling Company of Madrid and continued in the concern for about a year, later becoming financially interested in the same. He also became interested in the Citizens State Bank of Madrid, which was located on the present site of the Madrid State Bank. In that institution he rose steadily from one postion to the next highest, serving successively as bookkeepper, assitant cashier, cashier and president and proving his ability and worth in each capacity. The Madrid State Bank conducts a general banking business and enjoys a reputation as one of the safe and conservative financial instututions of Iowa. It has a captial of twenty-five thousand dollars, a fact which bespeaks the able management and careful direction of its chief executive officer. The bank in modernly equipped, has safety deposit boxes and is the depository for the United Staes postal savings funds. Mr Oakleaf is one of the heaviest stockholders of the Madrid State Bank, owns an attractive home in Madrid and also has a valuable and modernly imporved farm of 130 acrs in Douglas townhip.
In 1895 Mr Oakleaf was united in marriage to Miss Clara Anderson, who was born in Madrid in 1864, her parents being Peter and Melinda Anderson, both of whom are deceased. They were among the early settlers of Boone county and it was here that Mrs Oakleaf grew to womanhood and attended the public schools. By her marriage she has become the mother of two children: A Ruben, who was born July 19, 1897 and is now a high school student in Madrid and Gladys H who was born March 26, 1899 and also attends school in Madrid. Both are natives of that city.
In his political views Mr Oakleaf is a stanch republican and of the past fifteen years has ably served as school treasurer of Madrid. Both he and his wife are devoted and consistent members of the Swedish Lutheran church in Madrid. The period of his residence in ths county covers a third of a century, and he enjoys an extensive acquaintance with in its borders. Coming to the new world in hope of bettering his financial condition, he found the opportunities which he sought and in their wise utilization has won both prsperity and friendly respect.